Releasing device.



C. HUNT.

RELEASING DEVI CE. APPLICATION men OCT. 11. 1912.-

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

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C. HUNT.

RELEASING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 11,1912.

1 ,201 ,737. Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

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CHARLES HUNT, OF NEW YQRK, N. Y.

RELEASIN'G DEVICE.

Application filed October 11, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES HUNT, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Releasing Devices, of which the following is a description.

This invention relates to releasing devices for life boats and other similar small boats, whereby the same may be launched from vessels, and particularly to releasing devices which may be operated from within the boat after the latter has reached the water.

Among the objects of my invention may be noted the following: to provide means by which the life-boat may be quickly and simultaneously released at both ends from its supporting-tackle; to provide asimple, compact, strong and ellicient device for supporting a boat while it is being launched and for securing its release upon the instant it' is necessary; to provide a releasing-device which is positive in operation, strong in all its parts, and which cannot accidentally drop the boat while it is being launched, but which, at the required time, may be quickly, (lsily and positively released from within the boat.

lVith the above obi ects in View, and others which will be detailed during the course of this description, my invention consists in the parts, features, elements and combinations of elements as hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I have provided drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal, centralsection of a life-boat conventionally shown having my releasing mechanism attached thereto and showing the boat suspended from the tackle; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the releasing-device in locked or supporting position; Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the releasing-device in open or releasing position; Fig. 4 is a top-plan view of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is'a front elevation of the device shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a side elevation of another form of my invention with the parts in. looking orsupportingposition; Fig. 7 is a similar view of the form of Fig. 6 with the parts in open or releasing position; Fig. 8 is a top-plan of Fig. 6; and Fig. 9 is a sectional detail on the line 99 of Fig. 5. Referring now to the drawings in detail,

the numeral 1 indicates the boat to which a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Got. 17, 1916.

SeriaI No. 725,126.

releasing-device has been applied, said boat having pivoted thereto, at 2, a lever 3, provided with a handle 4, for actuating the same, and having attached thereto, 'between the handle and its pivot, a cable 5, which extends toward the bow of the boat and is connected, as presently described, to my releasing-device. Another cable 6 is connected to the lowerend of the lever and extends toward the stern of theboat, where it is also connected with my releasing-device, as presently described, said cable 6, near the stern of the boat, passing under one'sheave'7, and over another sheave 8, in order to properly locate the end of the cable for attachment to the releasing-device. Upon viewing Fig. 1, it will be seen that the lever 3. is pivoted to the side of the'boat and thatthe cables 5 and 6 extend along said side, the former above the seats 9 and the latter below said seats. By this arrangement, the releasingdevices are operated simultaneously so as to release the tackle at both 'ends of the boat at once.

The releasing-device, referring particularly to Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, consists of the main body or casting 10, which is extended downwardly a considerable distance to provide an attaching-plate 11, of sufficient extentand of the proper contour to afford the proper hold and support for the releasingdevice upon the boat, and to comply fully with present-day regulations. The attaching-plate 11 maybe secured by bolts, or by any other suitable and strong means, to the keel or stem of the bow and stern in substantially the positions shown in Fig. 1, so as to permit the upper portion of the releasingdevice to extend a sufficient and proper distance above the upper edge of the boat. The releasing-device also has the base-portion 12, extended substantially at a right-angle, or horizontally to its attaching-plate 11, and said base has the vertically-extending, lugs 13 and 14. The lug 14 has its upper end bifurcated, as shown in Fig. 4, in the arms 15 of which the holding-bar 16 is journaled, said holding-bar having the lug-extension 17, at its forward end, and the vertically-extending hook 18, at its journaled end. .The journal-pin 19 is preferably of the hollow type and removable so as to render it possible to separate the parts of the device for renewal or any other purpose. The lug 13,

at its-upper end, is'also bifurcated and, in

the arms 20 thereof, has the locking-lever 21,

journaled, said locking-lever having the rear extension or lug 22, which cooperates with the lug 17, of the holding-bar 16. The locking-lever also has the forward extension or lug 23, which cooperates with the latch 24, journaled at its lower end, as at 25, in the bearings 26, of the base 12.-

The latch 24 is provided with the seat 27, for the extension 23 of the locking-lever,

so that, when the parts are in the cooperative relation shown in Fig. 2, the lug 23 cannot be depressed and the lug 22 cannot be raised. The latch 24 is also provided with the weighted head 28 and anti-frictional roll 29, running upon the pin 30, extending from the side thereof. The normal position of the latch 24 is substantially vertical, as shown in Fig. 2, and said latch is held in said normal position by means of the supporting-lever 31, journaled at 32, to the forward end of the base 12, the latter being bifurcated to receive the same and to provide two journal-arms 33. At its upper end, the supporting-lever 31 is bifurcated, as shown at 34, so as to embrace the under side of the weighted head 28 and maintain the latch 24 in said normal position. The supporting-lever 31, between its ends, is provided with the rearwardly-extending arm 35, which cooperates with the lower, angular end 36 of the tripping-dog 37, j ournaled, at 38, in the forward extension 39, of the lug 13, said extension being formed onthe side of the said extension at its upper end. A crank-arm is suitably secured to the journal-pin 38, of the tripping dog, thus enabling the latter to be rocked by said arm. The lower end of the crank arm is providedwith an arm 41, extending laterally under the base 12 to the side of the boat and to which one end of the cable 5 or 6 may be secured, thus enabling the crankthrough the medium of the lever 3.

arm to be manipulated by the boatman The angular end 36, of the tripping-dog, normally lies under and in contact with the tripping-arm 35, of the supporting-lever 31, in'this position of the parts, the dog 37 being ready to trip the device to release the tackle 42, from the boat. locking position ofthe device is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, while the releasing or unllecked position of the device is shown in Upon reference to the figures just described, the operation of the device will be readily understood and it will be seen that, when the boat has reached the water and it is desired to release the same from itssupporting-tackle, a movement in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, will simultaneously actuate the crank-arms 40, thus swinging the tripping-do s 37, resulting in causing the angular en s thereof to operate upon the tripping-$111 35 and swing the latter The holding or rearwardly to release the weighted head 28, of the latch 24. Since, at this moment, the boat is upon the water and the tackle has become slack, there will be no lifting strain upon the device so as to prevent the ready operation and release of the holding and locking members 16 and 21. Consequently, the weighted head 28 will automatically swing the latch 24 away from the lockinglever 21, thus permitting the parts to move from the position of Fig. .2 to that of Fig. 3 and release the tackle from the boat. When it is desired to lower the boat, the holdingbar 16 and locking-lever 21 will be opened to permit placing of the link, ring, or hook 43 of the tackle, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, over the holding-bar 16, the under side of which is provided with a slight depression 44, to prevent said member 43 from slipping. The locking-lever is then depressed so that its lug 22 shall cooperate with the lug 17. Then the latch 24 is swung up into place with its rest 27 under the extension 23 of the locking-lever. Then the supporting-lever 31 is swung into position shown in Fig. 2, with its tripping-arm 35 at rest upon the angular end 36 of the tripping-dog 37, the crank-arm 40 being moved rearwardly to permit this association of parts. mien the device is tripped to release the boat from the tackle, as above described, the movement of the dog 37 is so rapid as to tend to cause the same to swing or revolve clear around into vertical position. To prevent this, which would throw the dog too far around for a successive operation, the anti-frictional roll 29 is provided as a stop for cooperation with the tripping-dog 37, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 3, this cooperative contact of the parts also momentarily retarding the fall of the latch 24, under the weight of its head 28, thus preventing the same from falling with too great force,

or falling before the supporting-lever has been moved clear of the head 28. The angular arrangement of the supporting-lever 31, relatively to the latch 24, is such that under no condition can the latch 24 be released, except by the positive movement of the crank 40, operated through the lever 3, and especially so with the base of the bifurcation 34, provided with frictional material such as rubber, leather, or suitable fiber 31 and it will be understood that the weight of the boat upon the tackle causes the latter to hold the bar 16 and locking-lever 21 rigidly in' position by tending to press the extension 23, with force upon the seat- 27, of the latch 24.

l The form of my invention shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 is simpler and cheaper to produce, and is of a form. adapted for boats having a small bow and stern deck or covering, the device of this form of my invention resting in horizontal position .upon said deckcovering for operation and being devoid of said attaching-plate 11, of the other form described. In the form of Figs. 6 to 8, the parts which are similar to those of the form of .1 to 5 are designated by like referencecharacters for easy identification; but, in the second form of my invention, it will be noted that the arm 10, its dog and the particular form of supporting-lever 31 are omitted. The latch is arranged at a slightly greater angle to the lug 13 and is provided with the heavily-weighted head 16, so as to make the same instantly drop to the position of Fig. 7, upon release of the support 47, which in this instance of my invention is set in an upright position and pivoted at as to the base 12, and has its upper end bifurcated, as at 49, to embrace the head 46 of the latch. As shown in the figures, a laterally-extended eye 50, to which a cable may be attached, is provided for the purpose of tripping the supporting-lever 17, so as to permit the latch 15 to automatically operate to release the locking-lever and holding-bar. In all other respects, the device of Figs. 6 to S is made substantially the same as the first form described.

If desired, as shown in Fig. 5, a ring 51 may be attached to the journal 19, which hold the launching-tackle, a latch for supporting the locking-lever, a supporting lever for the latch, a tripping-dog for actuating the supporting lever, and means for actuating the tripping-dog.

2. A releasing-device for launching mechanism, comprising a holding-bar, a lockinglever cooperating with the holding-bar to hold the launching-tackle, a latch lever for supporting the locking-lever, a supporting lever for holding the latch lever, a trippingdog for actuating the supporting lever, and a crank-arm for actuating the trippingdog.

3. A releasing-device for launching mechanism, comprising a base-portion, a pair of parallel lugs having cooperative holding and locking means, a movable means cooperating with the locking means for sustaining the latter and having a normal tendency to release the locking means, and means for releasing the sustaining means to release the holding means.

4:. A releasing-device for launching mechanism, comprising a holding-bar, a lockinglever cooperating with the holding bar to hold the launching-tackle, the said holding and locking means being movable relatively in the general direction of the releasing strain thereon, a latch for supporting the locking-lever, a support for holding the latch, a tripping device for actuating the support, and means for actuating the tripping device.

5. A releasing-device for boats, comprising a supporting frame; a holding arm journaled on the frame and adapted to hold a member of the launching-tackle; 'a lockingbar cooperating with said holding arm, a latch pivoted at one end to the frame and at its other end cooperating with the locking bar; a supporting lever pivoted to the frame and at its other end cooperating with the latch, and means for actuating the supporting lever to release the latch and the locking bar.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES HUNT. Witnesses:

CHAs. MoG. CHAPMAN, M. HERSKOVITZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

